Nanakorobi Yaokito
by AberrantAtHeart
Summary: ItaNaru. "There was only one useful thing he ever taught me, 'Stumble several times, but recover eight.' That's the life we all know. The only one we've ever known." In order to survive; ruthlessness is vital and love is but a hopeless dream. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is a two-shot I wrote for the ItaNaru Swap on LiveJournal. One of two, actually. It was a lot of fun to write. Enjoy!**  
**_

**Title:** Nanakorobi Yaokito (adj.): Stumbling Seven Times but Recovering Eight.  
**Recipient:** Everyone!  
**Rating:** R  
**Pairings:** Itachi/Naruto  
**Word Count:** 15,238  
**Warnings:** Minor character deaths and sexual situations. Torture  
**Summary:** "There was only one useful thing he ever taught me, 'Stumble several times, but recover eight.' That's the life we all know. The only one we've ever known." In order to survive; ruthlessness is vital and love is but a hopeless dream.  
**Disclaimer:**The characters hereon belong to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this work.

**Beta: **Imperial Mint.

**Author's Notes:**  
Shinto:   
Shinto is very loosely translated to, 'Way of the Gods.' So please don't quote me on it. It originated from the Chinese language before being adopted by Japan. I decided on this name because of Pein (Pain) of Akatsuki. His belief that he is a god spurred the idea for this name.  
Consists of: Pein, Madara, Konan, Kisame, Itachi, Sasuke, Sasori, Deidara, Hidan and Kakazu

Nainteiru:  
Which is translated to, 'Nine Tails' as opposed to'Kyuubi,' which means 'Nine-tailed.'  
Not much of a difference, I know. But the smallest of details count. Each tail represents a member.  
Consists of: Kakashi, Naruto, Gaara, Sakura, Ino, Kiba, Temari and Shikamaru. Kankuro – ninth member-_deceased_.

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Nanakorobi Yaokito

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"Kushina!" Minato looked around the room frantically, past the chaos of destruction, zeroing in on a figure hunched over in a corner, rocking back and forth in -what Minato could only assume was- a comforting motion. She was tucked safely against a wall, away from the enemy's view. Minato held his breath, moving slowly towards the woman in a crouched, unthreatening gesture in an attempt to approach her without causing fear. He finally let out a gust of air he'd been holding when she looked up, eyes wide and vulnerable but not too far gone. His relief was short-lived, though, when he remembered Kushina was not the only person he'd been looking for.

Minato closed the distance between them in a few long strides, bending down to eye-level with Kushina. "Where is he, Kushina?" Her eyes searched his own; uncomprehending. Minato assumed it was the shock of the situation and deemed it was best to handle her carefully, considering the very weak stupor she was currently in.

"Kushina, where is Naruto?" Minato grabbed her face roughly when all she did was look intently at her feet, pulling her head up insistently.

The harsh touch seemed to shake Kushina into action. Minato watched a look of understanding dawn onto her face and she stood shakily, pushing Minato out of the way to stumble throughout their once beautiful house. Gentleness took time. Time they didn't have. Every second that passed left their child more susceptible to danger. Although, Minato thought, the forceful treatment appeared to be too much for the sweet-demeanor of his wife, if her frightened get away was anything to go by.

He sighed in remorse and frustration. Which one he was feeling more of, Minato couldn't be sure. He stalked after her, turning into the hallway Kushina ran towards. Her movements were so frantic and unsteady; there was no way she could comprehend the severity of what was going on.

Minato continued after her, trying to plan on what to do with her during his search for Naruto, nearly running into Kushina as she stopped before the doorway to baby's room. She paused briefly, sparing a glance in his direction, and then rushed over to the laundry bin at Naruto's bedside.

"I knew they wouldn't look here. They wouldn't have looked here right, Minato?" Minato stood stock still, observing her throw the lid off, tossing it to the side carelessly. Kushina mumbled a few words that he couldn't make out while peering into the basket, her appearance suddenly calm and collected, though the subtle trembling of her hands gave her away instantly; she hadn't made it through the last few hours without damage.

A tiny squeal of delight bounced off the walls of Naruto's room. Minato absorbed the sound like a glass of water handed to a dehydrated man, his limbs automatically progressing towards the now visible bundle in Kushina's arms instead of waiting for his brain to grasp the scene before him.

"Naruto…" Minato fixed Kushina with an appraising look and she ate it up, pride blossoming in her chest. Her attention instantly shifted back to the small being nestled in the crook of her arm. Minato was glad, now more than ever, that'd he married the beautifully strong woman before him. His heart clenched painfully at his earlier thoughts revolving around Kushina, having doubted her sanity and obligation to protect their precious son. His judgment had been much like the words of his late rival on the day of Minato and Kunshina's wedding.

Shaking his head to rid himself of unnecessary reminiscing Minato leaned forward, planting a chaste kiss on Kushina's lips, moving afterward to repeat the show of affection against Naruto's forehead.

The calm atmosphere lasted only a few minutes; just a couple genuine smiles, tentative touches and happy squeals dying under the renewed feeling of panic. For the second time that night Minato came face to face with death. This time he hadn't been so lucky to survive it. No escapes or happenings of pure luck as the smoking hole of a pistol pointed to his face. But not before Kushina shoved their precious cargo back into hiding. Not before the sound of numerous footsteps trudged up carpet-less stairs and they gripped Minato's hair tightly, forcing him to watch the life leave his first and only love; the cute, motherly, sometimes feisty woman he met on a train. It was only after losing the second most important person in his life, after praying for the safety of his first, did they finally put an end to Minato's anguished cries.

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.  
_(Flashback)_  
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_"She's modest and kind, ideal for a simple wife," Fugaku paused, averting his eyes from the Minato's disbelieving expression. "But, she lacks the strength needed to survive our world."_

Minato's jaw tightened, biting his tongue from slipping out a statement that would show a lack of control. He straightened his posture, using his superior height in a tactic used for intimidation, thinking over his next words carefully before uttering them. "As I recall, you settled for a woman of much lower standards than those of mine. Her strength is nothing in comparison to Kushina, so watch your choice of words to avoid becoming a hypocrite Uchiha."

Fugaku looked taken aback by his friend's sudden boldness. Minato doubted Fugaku even mildly regretted his previous statement. The shock wore off quickly and Minato watched, guarded, as Fugaku inched closer, invading Minato's personal space without care. "Mikoto is the reason for our very alliance, friend. You'd bode well to remember that."

Fugaku walked away, leaving no room for further argument. His dress robes blew out slightly as he hurried along, distancing himself from the inevitable fight. Only when he was out of sight did Minato mull over his unacceptable reaction. Of course he'd never meant to bring Mikoto, who was so much like his own wife, into the conversation. It was unavoidable, though. Any time an Uchiha was involved, Minato's buttons were pushed so easily, blood boiling at the simplest jabs of insult.

Fugaku had taken it too far this time, using his wife of barely an hour to get under Minato's skin. It had worked; effectively shutting up Minato's boasting rant. There had been no reason to take it so far, but Minato knew it was a matter of their recently tense relationship, which had only added to the fuel of their arguments.

Minato sighed dejectedly, risking a sideways glance in Mikoto's direction. He knew Fugaku wouldn't dare repeat such hurtful words to his wife, but guilt would slowly work its way through Minato's system unless he repented for his horrible behavior.

Clamping his now sweaty hands together behind his back, Minato ventured towards the latest victim of his stupidity, nodding occasionally at the passersby's gestures of congratulations.

_(End Flashback)_

-.-.-.-.-.-

(18 years later)

"Y-you must be mistaken. There is nobody here by that name."

Naruto sighed, looking back down at the picture in his hand, pulling his gaze back up to confirm the comparison. It was her without a doubt. He watched dejectedly as bead of sweat rolled down his target's wrinkled forehead. Taking pity on her, Naruto backed away, making sure to talk in a slow, quiet voice. "Look," he flipped the picture over to observe the neatly written kanji residing on the -otherwise blank- back. "…Nobuko-sama, I'm not here to cause you any trouble."

"That's what they said last time. Saying they would help me and my family, no strings attached. All of it…lies." Naruto smiled sadly in acknowledgement of her dilemma, trying his best to convey a sense of honesty.

"Nobuko-sama." Her gaze met Naruto's with obvious mistrust. "I am not an associate of the people who came to you prior to my visit. I'm here to help get you out of your…" He searched for the right word, "…_situation_."

Nobuko continued to eye him warily; firm in her beliefs and ideals to not trust any strangers, but Naruto could see her resolve wavering. He refused to walk away from this mission, even if he had to stand outside her door for hours, days. Whatever it took to make a report of success.

_"She's a troublesome woman, from what I've gathered." Shikamaru's uncaring tone drifted off, a hint of annoyance under the surface of his words._

"It's exactly why I've appointed her to you, Naruto." Kakashi gave Naruto a pointed look, one that gave no room for mistakes. Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, effectively causing the room's occupants to tense. The irritated gesture was well known among the group's ranks. Naruto heard him let out a quick breath, his feelings of anger visibly escaping with it. "I know you won't let me down." Gone was the carefree boy, always reading inappropriate books and cooking him ramen, replaced with a man who had lost too much and taken on more than he was prepared for.

Naruto nodded in understanding before heading to the address he was provided with. His lips twitched up as he passed Gaara; standing with his back against the wall, arms crossed and feet planted firmly in their place. "I'll see you, Gaara."

Naruto was almost out of hearing range before he received a response. He was sure the low whisper went unheard to everyone else, "Be careful."

He bowed his head down, turning towards the exit stairs of the poorly maintained building. "I'm sorry to have been a nuisance, Nobuko-sama. Forgive me." Naruto's eyes slipped shut and his teeth clamped tightly in anticipation, listening closely as the door shut soundly. A few clinks of metal sounded and Naruto knew without looking that Nobuko reopened the door, now void of any chains to protect her.

"Come in."

Naruto risked a peek over his shoulder, noticing the women had already walked away, leaving Naruto to enter on his own accord. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, doing his best to refrain from commenting on her lack of concern for danger. Turning your back on a possible threat was unthinkable to Naruto, but he really couldn't expect a woman, seventy three years of age, to worry about such things. Her carelessness told Naruto she must be alone. Although she'd spoken earlier of family, one he assumed resided with her. Now Naruto's curiosity of their whereabouts was piqued.

He entered the apartment tentatively. Old or not, Naruto had met plenty of elders and seemingly _helpless_people in his line of work, some of whom were not against wielding guns and other such weapons. By the time Nainteiru's services were required, the only thing left of these people was fear. Fear instilled by an organization with little regard to the damage it inflicted.

Naruto's eyes surveyed the room, keeping his head tipped in the direction of Nobuko's presence. His hearing and sense of smell had always been extraordinary and helped him out of quite a few sticky situations.

The room was small; meager. It held the bare essentials, along with –what Naruto assumed were- family heirlooms with very little value to anyone but their owner. There was just a small, half wall separating the kitchen and main room. On the opposite side of the main room was a short hallway with three sets of sliding doors; two bedrooms and one bathroom, Naruto guessed.

So that confirmed she lived with family. Otherwise, there would be no need for a two bedroom apartment and with her current financial status, Nobuko certainly would have downgraded to save some money.

Naruto watched a shadow pass over the milky screen hiding one of the other rooms. It was short, the figure's steps were hesitant and unsure, a child probably. "Do you have any company I should know about?" Naruto's voice called out to Nobuko, keeping his eyes on the small form as it registered Naruto's voice, running out of sight. He smiled lightly to himself. Smart kid to flee at the presence of unknown company, but it shouldn't have taken the voice of a stranger to get them back into hiding.

Nobuko re-entered the main room with a tray of two tea cups, looking around suspiciously. She ignored Naruto's question and kneeled down on top of the cushion furthest from Naruto, setting the tray down to the table.

Deciding it was best not to push Nobuko, with her mistrust already at the maximum, Naruto followed suite, sitting across from her.

"Let's hear it."

Naruto paused, on knee already settled on amongst the cushion, the other stilled its movements. One thing he had to give this women credit for was that she definitely didn't act her age. She was lively, feisty; still had the ability to put up a good fight. He smirked slightly, receiving a blank stare in return.

Naruto coughed, trying to hide his amusement, "Have you ever heard of Nainteiru?"  
Nobuko showed no sign of recognition, only the smallest hint of alarm. She was obviously uncomfortable with the idea of another gang getting involved. "Well, let me tell you a little bit about us?"

She seemed surprised. Maybe not having expected Naruto to ask her permission before speaking? She nodded slowly, allowing him to continue.

"We…" Naruto began before Nobuko cut him off.

"By _we_, you mean, you and the other members of your…_gang_?" she questioned.

"Yes." Naruto answered, giving her a chance to speak. When she didn't appear to have intention of interrupting again Naruto spoke, "_We_ help people like _you_, to put it simply. Nainteiru's goal is to get people out of situations with Shinto. Shinto…well, you could say they are somewhat of a rival for us. They make promises to lend money they know you'll be unable to payback in their set amount of time. This way, when you don't make the payments according to their plan, more is added to your debt and if necessary…other methods are used."

Nobuko paled considerably towards the end of his speech. She was clearly familiar with the meaning of Shinto's excessive force. Naruto only hoped he'd gotten here in time, before any real damage was done.

"Have they taken anyone yet, Nobuko-san?"

She shook her head quickly, reigning in her composure, "You're a gang as well, so obviously you can't be as innocent as you are trying to portray."

"I never claimed we were innocent." Naruto reached forward, nodding to the cup of tea that was not being cradled in Nobuko's hands. Her lips twitched and he pulled the sweet smelling liquid close to his face. "Far from it, actually. The money we give to the …victims…is not exactly ours." Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

Nobuko sighed loudly. "Do I want to know?"

"It's probably best you don't," he replied, smiling.

"You should have stuck with the innocent act." They're both smiling now.

.

.

The rest of the conversation with Nobuko was pleasant and it had gone quite well. She'd asked the most obvious of questions, sharing the same concerns as many others.

_Do I have to pay the money back?_

What's the catch?

Will the money be traced back to me?

What is in it for you?

The last one was always the hardest to answer, but Naruto always gave the most genuine reply possible; they've all gone through similar hardships and shared the same hate for Shinto as its victims. The answer did little to quell curiosity, although it had always been enough to seal the deal.

Naruto quickened his pace, cursing under his breath when he checked the time on his cell phone. He was just a few paces from a small restaurant when the door swung open and smacked him in the face.

There was only a moment for Naruto to recognize the perpetrator and then the pain registered. "Fuck!" He touched his nose delicately, pulling his hand back to examine the blood trickling out. "Great."

"Serves you right, Dobe." Naruto couldn't help but think it had been done on purpose.

"Teme," he. The malice didn't quite reach its normal standard, accepting his punishment for being tardy. Sasuke was already risking a lot just by coming here and Naruto couldn't blame him for being upset.

Sasuke grabbed his elbow, yanking him into the restaurant. He blatantly ignored the surprised look from a waitress who waved excitedly. "Back so soon?" Her voice trailed off when she started to assess their condition, looking worriedly at Naruto.

He flashed her a wide, blood stained smile. "Don't worry, my boyfriend over here doesn't beat me or anything, I'm just a bit clumsy." He was thrown into a booth suddenly, glaring when Sasuke whacked him over the head.

"Shut up and sit down." Naruto considered arguing that he was already sitting down, but decided against it. He watched Sasuke glance out the window frantically, pulling down the shades to hide them from any prying eyes. The dark eyes turned on him, brows furrowing in what Naruto could only identify was regret before Sasuke grabbed a handful of napkins from the dispenser. "Does it still hurt?"

Naruto took the offered napkins- the closest thing to an apology he'll get.

"No, you know me," he said, flexing his muscles playfully/ "I'm tough."

Sasuke simply rolled his eyes while Naruto's face suddenly grew very serious, realizing what little time they had left. Sasuke looked more on edge than usual, now that he was really focusing on the man before him, "Sasuke?"

Sasuke refused to meet his gaze, eyes darting back and forth across the table.

"What's going on?" Sasuke completely avoided his gaze, silently refusing to make eye contact. "Nobody found out that you're…?" Naruto trailed off.

"No," Sasuke snapped quickly, probably a bit louder then he meant to.

"Then what is it?"

Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes. Naruto waited patiently for an answer, doing his best not to probe any further. "Itachi-"

"Your brother, what about him?"

"Would you let me finish," Sasuke bit out. Naruto could feel a snarky comeback on the tip of his tongue, but he bit down on it to keep it from escaping, "Once Itachi found out about what I was doing for Nainteiru, for you, he was so angry with me." Sasuke grabbed the glass of water in front of him, twirling the straw around in a distracted manor. "He was upset I was risking everything to feed you information about Shinto, understandably so. After his initial anger wore off, he just wanted to help, if only to make sure I wasn't going to get caught. You have no idea what Madara would do to him." Naruto watched Sasuke's whole body tense; back stiff and face tense. "What he _will do_to Itachi."

"Madara knows?" Naruto tried to conceal the panic building in his chest, knowing it would only make the situation worse.

"He suspects, not much of a difference between the two with him."

"But, he only suspects Itachi, not you?" Naruto asked, receiving a nod of confirmation from Sasuke. He nipped on his lower lip in frustration, wincing as his teeth rolled over the already raw skin, courtesy of his nasty habit. He sat back against the booth, slouching in defeat. "What can I do? You've risked your life for our cause Sasuke, I can't sit back and watch this happen."

A guilty look painted across Sasuke's face as his eyes bore in Naruto's, pleading in a way that seemed so out of place for his childhood friend. It was obvious now that Sasuke had already planned for Naruto to offer his help and was ready to jump at the opportunity once it was given. He narrowed his eyes in slight suspicion. "Go on then."

"It would be best for Itachi to lay low for a while, preferably with someone who knows what they are doing." Sasuke's voice trailed off, waiting for Naruto to catch on. He already had caught on, though, but he wasn't so excited about the direction in which their conversation was headed.

"And where do I come in?"

"You are someone…who knows what they're doing."

There was a long and very awkward silence. He tried to form some kind of response of discouragement or just flatly saying, "No." But, how could he deny the one person who'd been putting his life on the line, on a daily basis, to help Nainteiru. His old friend, who, just like himself, was born into this deadly rivalry. Especially with the way Sasuke's proud, confident demeanor was now replaced with a depressed and anxious stranger; one who was terrified of losing what little family he had left.

Sasuke spoke again, taking Naruto by surprise, "Itachi said we owed it to you, to help you. He said he owed it to your family, for what ours did to them."

That burnt down the last bit of Naruto's resolve.

He didn't remember much of Itachi, only hearing about him a lot in high school before the older teen graduated. From Sasuke's ranting and the general gossip of teenagers, Naruto gathered – aside from being more beautiful than most of the girls he knew- Itachi was extremely selfless when it came to Sasuke. His life consisted of keeping Sasuke safe.

Sasuke's words ran through his head, '_for what ours did to them_.' He tensed, remembering a few years back, when he'd gotten Kakashi to steal the file on his parents from the police department. It had contained a handful of…_graphic_photos. Naruto shuddered a bit at the memory.

They'd all been friends once; Uchihas and Namikazes.

The whole story was a little vague and no one truly knew what happened except for snippets of the events leading up to their family's deaths.

Sasuke's father, Fugaku, had been in a position much like Sasuke's; an informant of sorts. While Madara ran the show, Fugaku had been his right-hand man, and Namikaze Minato, their rival. Shinto, the gang originally created by Madara, had always flourished with their tasteless and harsh tactics, using fear and violence among the poor. Shinto was disguised and could easily pass for a company that gave out loans to those in need. Although most loan companies didn't kidnap family members, demand large amounts of money you didn't have, take the lives of loved ones, or beat you within an inch of your life.

Nainteiru started not long after Shinto. They began with a very small amount of money, mostly what Minato had been able to gather from his family savings, being the only one amongst the members with any significant amount of money. The money didn't last long though, not with Shinto recruiting new victims by the day, so they'd resorted to theft to provide money for Shinto's 'clients', in order to pay them back. Most of the thefts were directed at wealthy government officials but occasionally downgraded to bank robberies and such. Their main objective was to help Shinto's victims, who were almost always unable to repay their debts, before lives were taken.

This rivalry had lasted in an almost peaceful way until the deaths of all the previous Nainteiru's members and Uchiha Mikoto and Fugaku. Recently, with the remaking of Nainteiru, their rivalry had taken on a more aggressive kind of competition.

Naruto couldn't really make an excuse for how easily they were able to cause causalities on both sides, but in Nainteiru's defense, most of the current members were children of the previous ones; angry and ready to take their revenge on anyone they could. As for Shinto, Naruto had a sneaking suspicion it had more to do with the sickly pleasure Pein and Madara got from causing people pain.

Maybe, that's what had given Madara the power to kill his own brother.

In a moment of weakness and anger, Fugaku had confided in Madara, confessing his betrayal and the whereabouts of Namikaze Minato.

Three young boy's had been orphaned that night. Two of whom, while taught to hate each other, somehow managed to become great friends. That was why…

"Okay," he said finally looking up at Sasuke again, "I'll do it."

Sasuke released a breath Naruto knew he'd been holding in as he waited for an answer. There was still a slight tension in Sasuke's build and his face was pinched. It didn't take Naruto long to figure out why.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Does Itachi know about this yet?"

"No."

.

.

A tapping sound echoed throughout the room and Naruto could practically feel eyes burning holes into his hand, annoyed at the action. He stilled his hand, swallowing down the lump in his throat as he turned to his guest. "You can sit down you know." Black eyes stared emotionlessly into his own, making Naruto shift uncomfortably under its shocking intensity. "I won't bite." He smiled reassuringly, patting the seat cushion beside him.

Goddamn Sasuke and his manipulative ways, taking advantage of Naruto's giving personality.

Naruto had spent hours tidying his small apartment, even going so far as to buy a healthy array of food for his new company.

Itachi moved away from the door, never taking his eyes off of Naruto. He watched the man sit down in the armchair across the room instead of the offered seat next to him. "I…appreciate your hospitality," Itachi spoke tightly, but sincerely all the same.

Naruto waved his hand at the presented words of appreciation. "No need to thank me, I owe it to you and Sasuke after all."

"Ah."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto did his best to strike up a conversation. "How did Madara find out?" It wasn't Naruto's intention to bring up the one thing causing most of the tension in the room, but he couldn't help it. Besides it would make everything a lot easier if he knew what was going on. Sasuke had been very vague, sparing a lot of details. Naruto hadn't wanted to press for more information at the time. "Will Sasuke be alright?"

Itachi quirked a brow. "Which would like me to answer first?"

Naruto cheeks flushed slightly. "Will Sasuke be alright?"

"Sasuke will be fine," Itachi responded honestly. "While Madara suspected me and Sasuke, I thought it was best if Sasuke went to Madara, telling him of my deceit. That way Madara will not only trust Sasuke more so than ever, but he will believe only I was involved in betraying him. It was risky, but I know Madara well and he would not pass up the opportunity to turn Sasuke against me. As for your first question, Sasuke got sloppy. I suspect it had much to do with him getting too 'routine' in your dealings. Somewhere he must have made a careless move that exposed his purpose. Fortunately, though, that works with us now; Sasuke can easily pass that off for keeping an eye on me, trying to confirm his suspicions before going to Madara."

Naruto stared off into space, digesting the new information. His body and mind relaxed a great deal knowing that Sasuke was not in harm's way. Itachi must have noticed, "You truly care about my little brother?"

"I do." Naruto nodded his assertion, "Sasuke has always been my best friend. It hasn't been a conventional friendship, but a friendship nonetheless." He smiled to himself at his response, picturing the rare moments of peace between them and the endless moments of rivalry.

"It was silly of my brother..." Itachi murmured, mostly to himself.

"What was?" Naruto asked curiously.

Itachi looked up from his musings, a frown on his face. "To get so attached to someone, especially you." Itachi's scrutinized his every twitch, every quirking of his lips. "What's so special about you?"

"If you appear to be so against it, then why are you helping?"

"For my brother." Of course that was his answer, Naruto knew without asking, but the question had slipped in his frustration.

Sighing, he rubbed his temples tiredly and Itachi's gaze seemed to soften at the gesture, averting his eyes back to ground by Naruto's feet.

"Have you always been so cold?" He couldn't help the sudden stress weighing him down and Itachi seemed unaware of his constant worry. He'd never been the type to purposefully poke at someone, but Itachi's low jabs were irking him a bit. Naruto didn't expect an answer.

"No. And, I'm sorry that it's the condition I'm in now that you must deal with. I'm afraid the hospitable part of me has been lost for a long time, Naruto-kun." His head shot up at the newly added suffix. He wanted to say it perturbed him, but the warmth in his face argued otherwise. Without really realizing it, a small smile was threatening to form at the subtle hint of humor Itachi had attempted.

.

.

_"It has come to my attention," a dark shadow stepped out into the light, accentuating his menacing features, "that someone has been a bit…charitable with our funds. As such, we must handle this situation carefully, being that the perpetrator is one of our own." Madara looked pointedly at Itachi, whose whole body tensed in an attempt to suppress a shudder._

He would not show weakness in front of this man.

"That is unacceptable," he replied, hating the smirk on Madara's face at his own loyalty.

"I'm glad you think so," Madara turned, his back to Itachi, looking out the window to watch the oblivious people walk about in their daily custom, "you will be the one taking care of him for me. You're the only one I can truly trust, my dear nephew." Madara's words were playful; attempting to get under Itachi's skin like they did to everyone else, but he showed no signs of displeasure, only bowing his head slowly as he turned to leave the room.

"Itachi," Madara called out, stopping Itachi in his track. "Don't you want to know who it is you'll be dealing with?" His position never changed, trained on the passersby below.

A foreboding feeling grabbed hold of Itachi's heart, squeezing it with a bruising force. Madara would never have him do such dirty work; work left for specific members of Shinto. Unless Madara hoped this mission would affect him in some way. His hands balled into tight fists, nails digging in the soft skin of his palms. "I think its best if you find someone else."

Itachi could feel the amusement, washing over him like a blanket from behind. He didn't need to see the smile on his uncle's face to know it was there.

Laughter broke out into the room as Itachi made the last few strides to the door, sweeping through without so much as a goodbye, practically running from the building to the safety of his car.

.

.

_Itachi hadn't spoken to Madara since their last encounter. It only added to the growing stress weighing him down. Madara was not the type to stay quite or be passive aggressive. He was sadistic, but blunt. So the sudden silence on Madara's part was beginning to make him nervous. Aside from that, Itachi hadn't been able to get a hold of Shisui for days._

He was more than willing to admit his best friend wasn't always reliable or easy to get in contact with, but the urgency of Itachi's voicemails and the amount of calls were more than enough for Shisui to realize the severity of the situation and answer his calls. It didn't take much for Itachi to figure it out. Madara was painfully easy to read and his intentions were always clear. He had suspected from the moment Madara opened his mouth, but the pleasure Madara was taking in asking Itachi to complete the mission was what confirmed them.

He imagined what person would be foolish enough to try and slip money from under Madara's nose without him noticing. The first person that popped in Itachi's head was Pein; the one person who had the power to stand up to Madara and the motive. But, Pein was not one to be considered

'…charitable'_, as Madara had mentioned. That's why he knew it was Shiusi._

Shisui, with his stupid but noble tendencies and his ability to attract trouble and attention wherever he went had finally run out of luck. Shisui, the only person who'd wiggled his way into Itachi's cold heart, aside from Sasuke; and additionally the only person he trusted to watch over his baby brother.

Breathing slowly through his nose, Itachi closed his eyes, rubbing his temples in an attempt to relieve the oncoming headache. The dinging of each floor grew louder in his head as the elevator ascended, doing nothing to defer the increasing pain. His eyes opened just in time to watch the elevator doors open before him. He paused for a moment, composing himself, and then stepped out onto the run-down floor of an abandoned building.

He wasn't in the mood for this; the yelling, the begging, the smell. None of it. And, why he was here in the first place, which was still unknown to Itachi, was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention, a jagged chill going down his spine.

A sudden cry of pain caught his attention and Itachi froze in his tracks. His breathing was labored, eyes wide, trying to ignore the familiarity of the anguished cry for help. The room's temperature was at an unpleasantly cold degree, but a sweat began to break on Itachi's chilly skin.

He rushed forward, stumbling a bit until his hands caught the wall beside him, pressing against it for support. Desperation blinded his movements as he halfheartedly dodged the debris surrounding him. The door seemed to be moving farther away as Itachi's pace grew to impossible speeds, each cry of pain blurring his vision with tears and tugging him closer to the room.

"Shisui!"

The door crashed open and he barely registered the small splinters of wood that broke off from the force of his entrance.

In the middle of the room stood Madara, the ever-present look of satisfaction on his face, eyes trained on Itachi as if he'd been waiting for him the whole time. Pein stood not but a few feet from his partner, more concentrated on the hunched over figure hidden behind Madara. Itachi could make out the black hair and pale skin that signified him of Uchiha blood. His face turned slightly, peeking out from between Madara's legs and giving him a better view of the damage. The streaks of blood stood out against the near-white skin, making it hard to see any identifiable features, but once Itachi looked into the pleading eyes; exhausted and hurting, he couldn't deny it.

"Shisui." His own voice startled him. It matched the look in Shisui's eyes.

"How kind of you to join us Itachi-kun. We're just finishing up, so you are right on time." Itachi ignored his uncle in favor of keeping his gaze trained on the shell of his best friend in front of him. "Kisame, Hidan, if you would." Suddenly strong hands were restraining him, securing his place between two large bodies.

"Don't touch him!" His crazed shout bounced off the walls, spurring a fit of laughter from his uncle. Shisui clenched his eyes shut in shame and Itachi tried desperately to get back his attention. A shadow moved towards Shusi, Itachi could see it from the corner of his eye. Though, its purpose didn't register until Shisui's mouth dropped open so far that his own jaw started to ache. A silent scream strained Shisui's features, the veins in his neck becoming more pronounced, whole body as stiff as a board. His mouth closed just as quickly as it opened, blood slipping from its corners when he bit his tongue in an attempt to quiet his responses.

They didn't stay quiet long, as the torture went on. Itachi's own screams matched every one of Shisui', who grew quieter and quieter with time, until his only reaction was the widening of his eyes and the small gasps escaping his abused throat. Itachi couldn't bear to watch, but he couldn't take his eyes away. Every torture inflicted onto Shisui was inflicted on him too. His body dropped to the ground, hanging slightly in the tight restrictions.

The whole room was completely silent.

Itachi stared at the cracks in the ground, thinking about how much they resembled the broken person lying motionless against the same busted cement. Each time a tear dried on his cheek a fresh wetness fell, burning its way down his face. He could feel a rare, fiery sensation in his eyes that he knew were turning red. His mind fought vigorously against the anger welling inside of him, coiling into a pool of rage that was trying to break free.

He couldn't afford to act carelessly on Shisui's behalf. No matter what had occurred, he still had Sasuke to protect and although it pained him to dismiss the brutal death of his beloved friend, Sasuke would always come first. He bit the inside of his cheek, swallowing the bile that rising in his throat.

"May I go?" It was amazing what practice could do for Itachi's self control. His voice was close to perfectly composed and for a moment it knocked the smile off Madara's face. He wobbled to his feet, refusing to accept help from the hands that had been holding him back seconds ago.

Itachi left the room, without waiting for an answer, walking slowly to keep his balance.

'Forgive me, Shisui.'

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Naruto held his stomach tightly, continuing to laugh even as his stomach started to cramp. His laughter was quiet but genuine. He turned his head away from the T.V., baring his teeth in delight when he saw the tiny smile Itachi was wearing. His lips were twitching in an effort to hold back, but it appeared Naruto's laughter was too infectious, even if Itachi hadn't approved if his choice in movie.

"See it wasn't so bad."

"I beg to differ."

Naruto groaned at Itachi's response. "You are so much like Sasuke. We'll get along just fine." He clicked his tongue, showing off the bit of sarcasm in his statement. He stood from the couch, making his way into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry? I just picked up some things from the grocery store." Naruto opened the fridge, bending down to survey its contents. There was no response this time and he wondered if his last comment had offended Itachi in some way. Straightening out, Naruto turned, fully prepared to push aside his pride and apologize.

What he didn't expect was to turn into a (strong chest).

Naruto's gaze trailed up hesitantly, his voice caught in his throat. He tried to ignore the warmth Itachi was emitting and the cold tickling his back; not an entirely unpleasant mix of sensations. His breaths were starting to come out in pants, the hot air fanning back over his face. Naruto considered slipping off to the side, the only opening left between him and Itachi, until a hand came up to brace the side of the fridge, effectively cutting off any means of escape.

The tension grew thicker in the air as Itachi leaned down to eye level, their breaths intertwining, making Naruto's eyelids droop slightly.

"I'm nothing like my brother." Iatchi's breath smelled like mint and something Naruto couldn't quite put his finger on. The scent made him slightly dizzy and even with the refrigerator's coolness keeping him grounded, sweat began to form along the back of his neck, with an odd tingling in finger tips. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying for the overwhelming stir of feelings to go away.

.

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Itachi watched him, greatly intrigued by the reaction he was receiving. He wasn't really sure why Naruto comparing him to Sasuke had such an effect on him. But somehow, the idea of being matched up to his brother, as Naruto's best friend, had disturbed him in a way he couldn't describe. His first thought had been to intimidate Naruto, show him that friendship, beyond being civil with each other, was never going to be a possibility for them.

Itachi was having second thoughts now.

Staring into the scrunched up face, slick with a layer of sweat, body tense in what could only be anticipation, it gave him a new perspective. He smirked as he watched Naruto shudder slightly when he let out a particularly heavy breath, raising his fingers to smooth out the wrinkles of Naruto's expression. Naruto's face relaxed instantly under his touch, eyelashes fluttering open into slits. Itachi could still make out the small amount of bright blue that wasn't hidden away. They were the one thing that fascinated Itachi more than anything else; Naruto's eyes.

His eyes were so bright and expressive; Itachi didn't understand how they held such innocence in the face of such evil. They were so much different from his cold and uncaring eyes. Naruto made him want to reach out take the innocence from him, to steal the purity from their endless depths of beauty.

Without thinking about the consequences, Itachi leaned forward the last few inches, pressing his lips against Naruto's lightly. The breathing stopped and Itachi pushed his tongue out, coaxing Naruto's lips open and letting the oxygen in. A long ragged gasp followed as he slid into the offered opening, massaging his tongue along Naruto's. His hand moved down, dragging heavily atop a soft neck to a well formed back. He pressed his fingers tightly into the hollow of Naruto's back, molding them together to erase any space between them. Naruto moaned wantonly and Itachi swallowed the sound hungrily, shoving Naruto's back roughly into the corner of the fridge as he deepened the kiss. He felt a tug against his head as a hand pulled on his hair, snapping him out of his daze.

Itachi pulled back abruptly, surprised at his own actions. Naruto's chest was rising and falling fast in an effort to catch his breath. He turned suddenly, walking away from the situation before he did something he wouldn't be able to take back, ignoring the clattering as Naruto leaned back against the fridge for support. He stopped at the kitchen's entrance, turning his head in Naruto's direction, effortlessly keeping his voice composed.

"I apologize for my behavior." Without waiting to hear a response, Itachi swept out of the room, leaving Naruto to stare after him entirely too confused and disoriented for his liking.

.

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"Sasuke, it's not working out." Naruto sighed in irritation when he was met with silence.

"I just think it's best if you found someone else to...house him?"

No. That didn't sound quite right…

"Watch over him?"

No again.

"Baby-sit him?"

No, definitely not.

Tugging at his hair in frustration, Naruto threw the phone across the room, flinching as it smacked against the wall, falling to the floor in pieces. It sounded like a break super glue wouldn't fix this time. He was grateful that buying nice phones had never had much appeal to him, although it wouldn't make replacing it any less of a hassle. Most of the time, the phones ended up on the receiving end of Naruto's aggravation.

He fell backwards, letting the back of his knees catch on the edge of his bed, flopping down with a resigned grunt. He couldn't go back on his promise to Sasuke. But, whatever happened earlier – which he still hadn't been able to make sense of- was not something Naruto had been prepared for. He wasn't even sure how to confront the problem.

That was not something he was used to.

Part of him argued that it wasn't Itachi's initial intention to kiss him. The danger that had been rolling off him in waves proved that much at least. How somebody could manage to look completely aloof while suffocating Naruto with a silent threat, he had no idea.

The danger had quickly given way to something else; something he couldn't comprehend. Being so close to Itachi, under such a calculating gaze, had literally taken Naruto's breath away. The thought of Itachi's eyes made him shudder. He'd always assumed they were black. Just like Sasuke's. But now that he was close-up, he could make out the thick rims of red around Itachi's pupils.

Intoxicating. That's what they were. That's what Itachi is.

Nothing like his brother.

Rubbing his face tiredly, Naruto glanced over to the clock, squinting at the bright, blinking numbers. It was already pretty late and the growling in his stomach was getting harder to placate.

Itachi should be asleep by now.

"Stop acting like a child, Naruto," he berated himself.

His hands clenched to fists, balling up against his legs.

Now or never.

Sighing for what felt like the tenth time in a matter of minutes, Naruto got up from the bed, slipping quietly towards his bedroom door. His fingers slipped along the knob and he wiped them furiously against his t-shirt before successfully opening it, peeking his head out into the hallway.

Straight down the hall, he could see Itachi asleep on the couch, his back to Naruto. His body was moving with deep – preferably sleeping – breaths. The lights from the T.V. flashed across his relaxed form, illuminating his dark hair and the blankets with every color passing on the screen.

Naruto swallowed audibly, tip-toeing the rest of the way out without closing the door behind him. He didn't want to wake Itachi from his calm state. He suddenly felt like a five year old again, sneaking around a passed-out Tsunade for a late night snack. The memory caused a bubble of laughter to form in his throat, but he willed it away and fought the urge to crawl the short distance to the kitchen.

This would be the worst part. Naruto's cabinets were very temperamental and particularly squeaky.

Weighing his options, he opted for the one that would cause the least amount of noise and was, coincidentally, the one he stocked the least. Gripping it with two hands, he opened it at an agonizing pace. Once it was cracked open enough for him to reach in, he snagged the first thing his hand made contact with, pulling out the cardboard box and staring at the object in his hand, letting his eyes adjust to the dark to reveal its contents.

Rice.

Great, something he couldn't chance cooking.

He set the rice on the counter-top, giving it a good glare before slipping his hand back into the cabinet and fishing out another box. His movements were stilled as a groan sounded out from the living room and shuffling could be heard. Naruto's body was frozen in place, his eyes darting to the kitchen's entrance. Deciding he'd risked enough, Naruto tossed whatever he grabbed under his arm and put back the rice.

His socks slid across the tiled floor easily until they hit the carpet. His decision to rent this apartment, as opposed to the one with hard wood floors, was proving to be a great choice for his current situation.

Itachi's position had changed; the reason for Naruto's panicking. His body was turned over, facing towards the television, its lights now dancing across Itachi's gentle features. Gentle, was not a word Naruto would normally associate with an Uchiha, but asleep, he looked more peaceful that he ever remembered Sasuke being. Probably just another reason they were nothing alike.

Naruto's gaze flickered back and forth between the sleeping figure and his inviting bedroom escape. He scratched the back of his head and bit lip, before they pursed in determination. Mind made up, he wiggled his food into a more comfortable position, padding lightly over to the couch and bending his knees slowly to come face to face with Itachi, the person who'd so easily caused his emotions to run amuck.

His hand rose on its own accord, brushing back a stray hair from Itachi's face.

So soft.

Fingertips shaking with the effort of a gentle touch, he trailed them down the side of a pale cheek and along a well-defined jaw. His temptation drove him on, reverting his path up to the impossibly soft flesh of Itachi's lips, watching them part unconsciously under his ministrations. A gasp escaped Naruto's mouth as the pads of his fingers, rough and calloused from wielding a gun, rubbed lightly, so contrasting to the silky skin beneath them. He leaned forward as Itachi released hot air, unintentionally blowing on Naruto's face. The addicting smell he'd only been allowed access to for a short time was back and it was all Naruto could do not to lean in farther, their noses already a hairs width apart.

The lips closed suddenly and formed into a tight line. Fear gripped Naruto's being, his heart rate growing faster, but it wasn't enough to make him pull away. He wanted those feelings from earlier – _needed_them. He'd spent so much time and effort keeping people at a distance that he couldn't manage to deny himself this one pleasure.

This closeness.

This warmth.

He chanced a gaze upward, immediately wishing he'd ignored his desires and taken to the safety of his room.

Those eyes; those deep, beautifully captivating eyes were not staring right at him, but right through him. How they were so empty, yet so mesmerizing, he had no idea. The red rims around Itachi's pupils were more pronounced now and Naruto briefly wondered if they changed with Itachi's mood. Shock…or fear kept him grounded, rooted to his spot beside the couch. His hand was unmoving, but still lightly touching Itachi's face, almost hovering above the soft skin.

He wanted to pull away from the intense stare, waiting for Itachi's anger to surface.

The anger never came and he never pulled away; there was no sleep-filled haze or drowsy-outrage in Itachi's eyes, just an offhand curiosity that Naruto was feeling as well. His throat was as dry as a bone, uncomfortable and almost painful, becoming harder to dismiss.

Itachi just kept staring.

On its own accord, Naruto's hand began to move again, tracing invisible patterns that he paid no mind to. He was too caught up in the fragile exterior of Itachi's impassive interior. Part of him was starting to believe that Itachi was not as expressionless as he liked to portray. Maybe somewhere, deep down, under all the masks necessary for his brother's and his own survival, there was a vulnerability begging to break free.

Itachi's hand clasped around his wrist suddenly, stopping his caress and pulling him forward. He dipped his head back in slight mistrust, but made no other move to resist the tugging. How could he say no, when he'd initiated the contact, with those eyes, those lips and that skin beckoning him in.

The kiss was soft. Docile, compared to the one earlier and Itachi had nothing to blame this time. The anger from earlier had been the perfect explanation, but now that wasn't present.

Naruto's innocence was so pure, and sitting just a few inches from his grasp, he'd been unable to resist. Naruto's untainted heart, the determination always burning brightly in his blue eyes, Itachi wanted it; that unwavering determination and uncorrupted willingness to please. He wanted to taste it on his tongue, capture it and test its limits. Since Itachi had never known such innocence, it intrigued him that it could exist so easily in someone that had experienced just as much pain and evil.

Naruto's innocence tasted of spices and heat. There was no better way to describe it.

A small moan from Naruto had Itachi's body filling with fever, weak and heavy. Deciding he rather disliked the helplessness Naruto was causing, he pressed closer, gripping Naruto's hair hard enough to make him cry out, and filling his mouth, swallowing every sound that broke free.

It felt so good finally being in control of something; taming the fire burning inside of Naruto.

Biting his bottom lip, Itachi released Naruto's wrist, latching onto a hip and pulling him onto the couch. Once he was settled on top of Itachi, their positions flipped, leaving Naruto sprawled out beneath him. He watched as Naruto's fire burned even brighter, fueled by his ministrations, but he could still see the exhaustion.

Naruto's hips lifted up into his own and Itachi groaned at the eager movement before pressing Naruto's hips back down into the cushions. Itachi kissed his throat carefully, sliding down to rest his head above an erratic heartbeat. The rest of his body followed, aligning perfectly with the one below it.

The slowing thumps against Itachi's ear calmed the burning in his veins, drifting him off in a peaceful sleep with Naruto close behind.

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-.-.-.-.-

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A/N: Review and Comments are much appreciated. Thanks to my lovely lovely Beta Imperial Mint.

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	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Last part of the fic. Enjoy.**  
**_

**Title:** Nanakorobi Yaokito (adj.): Stumbling Seven Times but Recovering Eight.  
**Recipient:** Everyone!  
**Rating:** R  
**Pairings:** Itachi/Naruto  
**Word Count:** 15,238  
**Warnings:** Minor character deaths and sexual situations. Torture  
**Summary:** "There was only one useful thing he ever taught me, 'Stumble several times, but recover eight.' That's the life we all know. The only one we've ever known." In order to survive; ruthlessness is vital and love is but a hopeless dream.  
**Disclaimer:**The characters hereon belong to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this work.

**Beta: **Imperial Mint.

**Author's Notes:**  
Shinto:   
Shinto is very loosely translated to, 'Way of the Gods.' So please don't quote me on it. It originated from the Chinese language before being adopted by Japan. I decided on this name because of Pein (Pain) of Akatsuki. His belief that he is a god spurred the idea for this name.  
Consists of: Pein, Madara, Konan, Kisame, Itachi, Sasuke, Sasori, Deidara, Hidan and Kakazu

Nainteiru:  
Which is translated to, 'Nine Tails' as opposed to'Kyuubi,' which means 'Nine-tailed.'  
Not much of a difference, I know. But the smallest of details count. Each tail represents a member.  
Consists of: Kakashi, Naruto, Gaara, Sakura, Ino, Kiba, Temari and Shikamaru. Kankuro – ninth member-_deceased_.

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Nanakorobi Yaokito

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_Part 2  
_

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Silence.

Naruto swore he'd fallen asleep with the television on. The gentle sound of water falling reached his ears in time with the knocking on his front door. It took him a second or two to rub the sleep from his eyes and muster up the energy to stand. Sighing audibly, Naruto padded over to the source of his wake up. He was fully prepared to swing the door open, when a thought struck him.

He shifted slightly, quietly peeking through the glass covered hole in his door. One look at the frizzy brown hair and red face tattoos and Naruto relaxed, swinging the door open carelessly as Kiba strode in.

"Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting out there?" Naruto stumbled back as Kiba shoved his way into the apartment. "Do you have anything to eat?" Rolling his eyes, Naruto followed his friend into the kitchen where he was rummaging through the edible goods.

"How is Gaara?" Naruto asked sadly, already missing the brother-figure he hadn't seen in days.

Kiba paused, turning to look at Naruto as if remembering why he was there. "That's why I'm here. Nobody's been able to get a hold of you, Naruto. Gaara was worried, so he sent me."

Naruto frowned, confused. "Why didn't he just come here himself?"

Kiba's look turned more sympathetic, his gaze trailing past Naruto's form, towards the bathroom. "He said he couldn't handle being around one of _them_." Naruto nodded in understanding, while Kiba's face quickly shifted to anger. "How do you know it wasn't him that killed Kankuro?"

Naruto breathed in deeply, holding it in a moment before he spoke, "I don't."

"You really should make it easier to get in contact with you, Naruto; especially with him here. I don't trust him, or any of them for that matter. But, regardless of what I think, you should do it for Gaara. It's killing him knowing all this responsibility and risk is landing on you."

Kiba walked past him, brushing against his chest it what was meant to be a forgiving way. Naruto turned and followed him again, not really having any other choice. "Has anything new happened while I've been…away?" Naruto let the last word roll over his tongue, deciding it was the most discreet way to describe his lack of presence amongst the other members.

"Madara has been…quiet. Shinto in general hasn't been very easy to follow as of late." Kiba shuddered slightly. "It's kind of unnerving actually."

"That's not a good sign. He's obviously up to something." Naruto paused, grimacing as Kiba chewed without closing his mouth, a few crumbs straying from the corner of his mouth. "Kiba…" Kiba looked up at him, mouth full with food. He followed Naruto's gaze, seeing all the mess he'd made he quickly swallowed, setting his snack on the coffee table before him.

"Sorry."

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head as thought about how some things never changed. "Don't worry about it."

Kiba stood suddenly, brushing off his pants and heading towards the door. He hesitated for a moment, standing awkwardly by the exit. Naruto's features darkened, currently hating his ability to read people's emotions so well.

"What is it?"

He watched Kiba's neck tremble as he swallowed thickly, "Sasuke has been acting…weird." Kiba seemed to contemplate the word slightly, pursing his lips like he was trying to decide if he should continue. "Kakashi asked me not to say anything because you already have enough on your plate, but I think something is wrong."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "He's under a lot of stress, Kiba-" he started before being cut off.

Kiba waved a hand at him, acknowledging what he said was true. "Of course, of course, I shouldn't have brought it up. I better get back anyways," he said, a mischievous smile taking the edge off the sudden tension, "everyone is worried you're dead so it's the perfect opportunity for me to mess with them." With that said, Kiba exited Naruto's apartment, shutting the door heavily with little concern.

Naruto chuckled, thoroughly amused with his friend's ability to take a serious situation and make it into something of a joke.

The fall of water not far away ceased, bring Naruto's attention back to his house guest as the bathroom opened, letting out a cloud of steam and a half-naked Itachi with it.

Life was so very cruel to Naruto.

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-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

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Being stuck in his own apartment was not something Naruto liked.

He was used to having free reign of his own life; the constant loneliness his home supplied kept him out most of the time. He preferred fresh air over the smell of recently cooked food and the odd scent that always collected amongst one's belongings; each home had its own distinct smell. Naruto remembered the smell of his guardian's homes. Although he could barely remember each place they'd moved to, the smell always stayed the same; Tsunade's favorite poparie, the scent of her overwhelming perfumes – that Naruto had eventually grown accustomed to- and alcohol. The last being something he was never quite comfortable with.

He was never much of a drinker himself. Something about the way it blurred his vision and altered his movements; leaving him open and vulnerable to the dangers always lurking in dark alleys. Naruto didn't want to be that poor soul people watched on the news that made stupid decisions on an impulse and ended up dead or missing. More than anything though, he didn't want to grow attached to the numbing sensations Tsunade was so fond of.

Naruto's apartment had acquired the faint smell of cinnamon, a fact he really couldn't explain being that he never had any. According to Itachi, it had a relaxing aura. Normally Naruto would have disagreed, arguing that his home was gloomy; the very definition of solitude. But, with Itachi's presence he couldn't bring himself to dislike the meager living space as much as he used too. It wasn't just the lack of people other than Naruto living there that caused his feelings, Sasuke had been over countless times but Itachi added something to the mix that made Naruto feel at ease; at _home_, like he never had before.

Itachi felt like home.

The thought felt so foreign and so odd, considering Itachi's personality, which had been changing, or rather unfolding as of late.

"Pass go, do no collect two-hundred dollars…" Naruto stared at the card in disbelief. The stack had to have run out of these damn cards that made him pass go, without collecting his money and making him start all over again, just to pick up an identical card. "Impossible, I've already gotten four of these." His face scrunched in depression; frown deepening when he saw the sympathetic look Itachi was giving him.

Itachi leaned forward, sorting through the deck of cards for an explanation. "It appears you picked out the last of them," he stated calmly, watching for Naruto's reaction.

Naruto huffed in annoyance, but made no more arguments as he moved his thimble piece past the 'GO' space and did not collect the usual reward for making it around the whole game board.

"Just know that if you win, it will not have been on fair terms." Naruto smirked to himself when he saw the amusement drop from Itachi's face. His smirk didn't last long though, because the look on Itachi's face was enough to let him know that he was in some kind of trouble.

"All is fair in-"

"- In love and war? How does that apply here?" Naruto asked with a teasing smile while he crawled back away from Itachi's approaching figure.

"I was going to say Monopoly, had you not interrupted me." The feral look in Itachi's eyes made Naruto gasp, no other part of his face gave his feelings away, but as the growing red in Itachi's eyes drifted closer to him, his back hit the corner of the coffee table. The sharp edge dug into the skin between his two shoulders and he winced before Itachi's hands clasped around his ankles, pulling his back onto the floor and away from the source of pain, closer to the man now looming over him.

Naruto stared, waiting for Itachi's next move.

But it never came. All he did was copy Naruto's own actions, observing the details of one another. He wasn't sure what was holding Itachi back from making the next move, until Itachi reached up, letting a few stands of blonde hair run along his fingers, his eyes flickering from playful and captivating to cultivated and hesitant. Something about the uncertainty he was emitting was more charming than any of Itachi's other emotions Naruto had been introduced to. He breathed deeply through his nose, pushing himself up onto one elbow and using his other arm to wrap around Itachi's neck, pulling him down to close the last of space between them.

Naruto let their lips touch briefly, keeping his eyes open as Itachi did. He made no response to Naruto's affections, but Itachi sighed when he moved his head lower, kissing along Itachi's jaw up to his cheek. Taking that as a sign to continue, he kissed Itachi's eyelids, smiling as the fluttered shut under Naruto's breath. His hands moved along broad shoulders, rubbing into the hard flesh in an attempt to help relieve some of the tension. Itachi grunted when Naruto hit a particularly stiff spot where his neck met his shoulders.

Itachi finally started to act in response, moving his hands in a similar motion up Naruto's back and lifting the green fabric of Naruto's shirt, exposing his warm skin to the cold air. Naruto tensed for a moment at the sudden chill, arching away from the sensation and into Itachi's chest, with strong hands helping to pull him against it harder. A sudden vibration tickled Naruto's inner thigh but Itachi seemed determined to ignore it. He pushed against the hard chest above him, attempting to put some distance between him as his mind began to rationalize through its fog of desire.

"Your phone," he said breathlessly.

"Later," Itachi responded, leaning back down to catch Naruto's lips again, but he pulled as much as the floor would allow using his hips to prevent any more of Itachi's endeavors.

"It might be Sasuke," he tried again, giving Itachi a somber look.

The results were immediate; Itachi sat up right, slipping his hand into the pocket of his pants and pulling out his phone, quickly and gracefully. Naruto watched slightly amused and amazed at the ease in which Itachi always performed.

He flopped back down onto his back, staring up the slightly stained ceiling of his apartment. Naruto titled his head to the side, wondering if the blemishes had always been there, escaping his notice. A sudden idea occurred to him, smiling as he pictured Itachi armed with a paint brush and sporting many spots of white paint. Although he knew it was only something he'd imagine because knowing Itachi, he could paint the entire apartment and manage to finish cleaner then he started.

It would do well to pass some time though. He'd been having so much fun with Itachi, he almost forgot why the man was here in the first place.

"I see."

Naruto wrapped his arms behind his head, turning with mild interest in time to see Itachi's body tense and his tone grow unexpectedly cold. He'd grown so accustomed to the peaceful, laid-back side of Itachi that he'd almost forgot what he was normally like. Sighing, Naruto turned back to his musings, deciding that he'd go to the store for supplies and dub tomorrow 'Painting Day.'

Itachi's phone snapped shut, echoing through the room and pulling a startled jump from Naruto.

"I have to go." Itachi wasted no time in making his way to the door, refusing to make eye contact with Naruto as he jumped to his feet.

"Whoa, wait! Can you just talk and tell me what's going on Itachi?" Naruto reached out to take hold of Itachi's arm, but his grip was easily evaded, "I can't help me unless you tell me what's going on."

Itachi ignored his protests, opening the door a crack, before Naruto's hand stopped it, putting his weight into the push to keep the door in place.

"Naruto…" Itachi's head dropped as he whispered Naruto's name. He gazed at Itachi's defeated position, reaching out to stroke his long hair until the head snapped back up, blank and detached like the first day he came to Naruto's apartment. "Move."

Naruto swallowed audibly, hand swinging lifelessly back to his side. He looked away, staring off into empty space as he tried desperately to hold back the tears he knew were threatening to fall. The last time he remembered crying was in grade school; he had taken a hard fall playing with Sasuke and scraped up his knee pretty bad. Almost half of his calf had been covered in blood. Sasuke had run around crazily trying to find some help for his friend while Naruto had cried silently to himself, biting his lips while he tried to suppress the tears. He hadn't wanted Tsunade to see him upset, because his grandmother had always taught him that crying was for the weak. Naruto hated being weak. So he'd wiped his tears, reassured Sasuke that he was okay, and limped the whole way home.

This time, it wouldn't be so easy to thwart off the impending tears that were ready to burn along his water line and pour out to continue their fiery path down his cheeks.

He could feel Itachi watching him from the corner of his eye, but he made no move to comfort Naruto.

"Go then." He made a shooing motion towards the door, backing away to stare into bright red eyes as his vision began to blur. "What are you waiting for? Leave, I'm used to it."

Itachi face grew warped into an expression of indecision, making Naruto's stomach clench in disgust. He clamped his teeth together, a plea for Itachi to stay dangling on the very tip of his tongue, but Naruto quelled his hurt down until it was so small, a few deep breaths were all it took calm him down completely. "Please go, Itachi."

Just like that, Naruto was alone.

The emptiness returned just as quickly as it had gone and Naruto instantly wished for Itachi's presence in the hellish silence of his lonesome. His knees hit the ground soundly, awkwardly shifting to let him sit completely on the floor. Every part of his mind and body screamed to let him cry, to free all the emotions swelling up inside of him, but he couldn't. A choked sob was all that got out before Naruto rose to his feet, tugging his hair insistently to save himself from useless sulking of heartbreak.

Naruto chuckled to himself as his grandfather's old saying ran through his head, "_If you fall seven times, get up eight._" He'd fallen more than seven times in his life. Frankly, more times than he could count. But somehow Itachi had managed to wiggle himself into Naruto's heart, securing his place there. If something happened to Itachi, Naruto wasn't sure that was a fall he could recover from.

.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

.

Itachi waited until the door shut behind him, slumping against the sturdy frame and clenching his eyes tightly. He had to do this. Sasuke always came first, no matter what.  
Letting out a long breath that was meant to calm his nerves, Itachi took off down the hallway, his pulse racing as he altered between a jog and a fast-paced walk. The elevator came into view quickly. Itachi pressed the down button without thinking, repeating the action a few more times to assure himself. The number lit up above the metal doors, '2.'

"Too long." He spotted the red glowing exit sign not far away and practically threw himself down the emergency stairs, making his way toward the garage of the building; he would get there faster if he drove. After all, risk didn't really matter now that Sasuke was in trouble. He was about to throw himself into a den of carnivorous wolves that were happily waiting to kill one of their own pups.

Not that it mattered to Itachi what they did to him, as long as he stayed alive long enough to protect Sasuke. After that, Naruto would take care of his brother. The thought made him stumble slightly on a crack in the cement stairs guiltily.

He just had to keep reminding himself…Sasuke came first.

'_What about Naruto?_' a part of him questioned. Itachi couldn't deny the developing feelings of closeness for his brother's best friend, but what could he do? They were on opposite sides of the spectrum and whether he liked it or not, he didn't deserve Naruto. The darker side of him wished to take Naruto and never let him go. The part that cared greatly for him would not allow Itachi to taint such a good-hearted person. Besides that, he would never get the chance if tonight went as badly as he was expecting.

Mentally shaking free of thoughts that would only make his meeting with Madara worse, Itachi continued his quick search for a fast car, ignoring the loud sound of a car alarm and distant sirens; it wouldn't take long to shake them.

.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

.

It was so much like that day; so much like the day he had lost Shisui. But Itachi refused to let it end the same way it did all those years ago. He stared impassively toward the tall, glass windows, considering for just a moment to push Madara through the glass and to his death, disregarding that it would mean his own death. Madara would be disposed and that was more important than his own worth. Unfortunately his plan would leave Sasuke with the remaining members of Shinto, and although he doubted any of them were close enough to avenge the death of his uncle, Shinto didn't take to well to traitors- let alone leaving Sasuke to the devices of the sadistic, pierced siblings, Konan and Pein.

"I always wanted to see you angry Itachi." Madara had slithered a few inches from his face, making it had to breath as the stench of greed and authority wafted through his senses. "But you make it so hard with that impassive exterior. I just wonder," a long boney finger traced down the line of Itachi's cheekbone and his mask threatened to fall to pieces; a growl edging up into his throat, "what is it like in that head of yours? So dark and cold, much like my own I assume." Madara threw his head back, laughingly happily at his expense, before straightening with a slightly crazed look on his face.

Madara was destroying himself. Slowly, yes but the once in-control man of a powerful group was oxidizing into a mass mad-desperation. When one only wants more and more, what does one do when they have it all? Power always went straight to his uncle's head and after years of being on top, the power was finally getting to him. Itachi always hoped for this time; when Madara would grow too irrational and somebody finally stepped forward to overthrow him, but he never imagined it to happen with Sasuke in his clutches. This was the worst scenario he couldn't have seen coming.

Itachi let his eyes drift over to Sasuke's hunched form. He seemed unharmed for the most part, just tired. He wondered how long his brother had been in his current position of 'hostage', for lack of a better word. Guilt, an emotion he'd recently become very familiar with, swelled up inside of Itachi as he considered that all the time he was spending with Naruto, carefree and safe, Sasuke had been suffering from his absence.

His chin was yanked back forward. He didn't remembering turning it to his brother's direction, but something was there; something in his expression told Madara that he had Itachi right where he wanted him-vulnerable and at his disposal.

"I don't want to hurt Sasuke." Madara forced his head back to look at Sasuke, who chose this moment to look up at Itachi. Madara's lips tickled his ear, repulsion shooting to every part of his body. "You are my _family_. But family doesn't…hurt each other!" Each word was emphasized with a hard tug on his hair; head smacking against the wall behind him. He heard - _felt_ – his uncle take a deep calming breath to reign in his madness. He could feel the menacing smile against his ear again. "Help _me_ to help _you_."

Sasuke began to frantically shake his head as if already knowing what Madara would request. Fear resided in every blood shot line of Sasuke's eyes, making Itachi's brows furrow and his skin perspire in scared anticipation.

"Anything," Itachi whispered desperately.

Sasuke's face dropped with disappointment clear in his fallen posture. Itachi ignored it. Sasuke could hate him all he wanted but at least he'd be alive. "Kill him."

His own eyes widened. "I won't let anything happen to Sasuke."

"Not him…" Madara coaxed, begging Itachi to figure it out on his own.

Realization dawned on him at impossibly fast pace. "Naruto."

"Yes, yes." Madara finally released him, letting his body give out and slump to the cold floor. "Do you know how long I've waited for this day? Do you?" Madara's footsteps brought him a few inches from Sasuke, but his eyes were trained on Itachi's reaction; like they always had been. "This was never about your foolish little brother. No, this was about something much more. Something I couldn't finish myself, years ago. At first I thought why not wait until he's unguarded and finish off the last of Minato's family, preventing any potential of rebellion against our goal, but that would have been too easy."

Itachi watched Sasuke's shaking form, knowing his brother was a few steps ahead of his comprehension and hating that he could do nothing to comfort him. He was the one that was going to cause his brother even more pain.

"The wait was worth it, I think. This way will be so much like last time. I needed a guarantee that this would continue after my death, Itachi and you are the perfect person to complete my plans. Unfortunately, you have not yet fully succumbed to my ways. I have great assurance that after tonight, you will."

Sasuke was never the target, never the one in danger.

.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

.

_"Sasuke's been taken hostage."_

Naruto gasped, now aware of Itachi's sudden disappearance. He glanced around, confused as to why everyone seemed aware of the situation but himself. "How long have you known?" he asked suspiciously.

Kakashi's visible eye closed in preparation for Naruto's anger. "Since Itachi went under your care."

Naruto's fist clenched tightly and he rushed at a specific body in the room, grabbing the collar of Kiba's shirt and throwing his against the wall. Hands grabbed at him from every direction but he refused to loosen his grip.

"You acted as if everything was ok," Naruto snarled. "I had a right to know and you betrayed my trust."

"He was under orders not to speak a word of Sasuke's condition-"

"Don't speak to me!" he shouted in Kakashi's direction, keeping his gaze locked on Kiba's flushed face. "I trusted you. You meant more to me than any orders. Had it been Hinata," Kiba flinched, looking away from Naruto's intense gaze, "I would have told you."

Naruto released him, watching Kiba fall to the floor as Sakura jumped into action, checking for any injuries on her downed teammate. He regarded them for only a moment before turning his attention back to the head of the room, eying Kakashi with a lack of respect he never thought he'd have for his leader. He pinched his nose, a feature Kakashi would normally joke about, saying Naruto had picked up his bad habits. Now was not the time for teasing though.

"Forget it. What's the plan?"

"For you…nothing. We are infiltrating Shinto's whereabouts as we speak."

"Who?"

"Gaara, Ino, Shikamaru and Temari are waiting for my signal. You will be in contact as Sakura, Kiba and I go to the rendezvous point. You will be informed and will help Shikamaru through the layout of the building. You know better than any of us the ins and outs of the place." Kakashi laid a small black object on the end of his table, using the tip of his finger to push the device close to the edge. "This will be our form of contact."

Naruto picked it up carefully, afraid the small thing would break under his touch. He rolled it between his fingers, getting a good look at the expensive looking electronic.

"Now, go home, and be ready for our call," Kakashi said, leaving no room for argument. "It's the best place for you right now and we need to know where you are in case anything goes wrong. It's too dangerous for you to stay at the hideout by yourself during this mission."

Naruto nodded, still focused on the ear piece in his hand. He turned to walk from the room, bypassing any goodbyes or good lucks like he would normally give out to everyone before a mission.

"Naruto, I'm sorry!" Kiba's voice called after him, but he was already out the door.

Naruto readjusted the piece in his ear again, worried that he had broken it during his trip from the base to his home. The only sound he could hear was a slight static – fuzzy- noise. As if on cue, a click alerted Naruto that another person had turned on their own head piece, followed by six more identical noises.

"Naruto?" He sighed as Gaara's voice echoed into his earpiece. He was relieved to know he was safe, and seemingly unhurt. Naruto pushed away his annoyance and accusation, knowing they had probably already gotten through the initial security of Shinto's main headquarters and hadn't tuned in until now. Although he knew they did it for his own benefit, it still annoyed him.

"Yes, I'm here. How far have you gotten?"

Gaara mimicked his earlier sign of relief, sighing briefly before he went back into what Naruto like to call his 'down to business mode.'

"Temari has confirmed Sasuke's location; they're working on getting to his position. There's men at every floor Naruto…they knew we were coming." Naruto's fists clenched beside him. He pushed his back up against the wall, bringing his knees up to rest his forearms on top of them. His head fell forward, eyes closed in realization.

"Itachi."

"What?"

"Nothing. Gaara…I need you to be honest."

"Always."

"What is the probability of everyone getting out of this alive?"

Naruto heard a gasp over the line but was unable to determine whether it was Ino and Sakura. Sasuke, he was so important to Naruto, he was practically a member of their own gang. It seemed unfair…selfish really, for him to expect everyone else to risk their lives for someone that, although provided them with a lot of useful information, held no personal significance. They wouldn't go this far to save an informant. They would only go this far to save someone close to them; to save Naruto, because Sasuke's death would only result in plunging him into a darkness of guilt and despair. They were risking their lives for his well-being.

Naruto thought of Kiba; the _friend _he'd pinned up against wall and scolded only hours ago, who was now trusting himself into a dangerous mission that could cost him his life.

Overlooking the fact that Gaara hadn't provided and answer for him, Naruto spoke again, his voice solemn. "Kiba…don't do anything stupid."

Like the breaking of a dam, the tension cleared Naruto's mind and body, leaving in a rush that brought a relieved smile to his face. "Me? Not in a million years."

A chorus of laughter broke free and Naruto was amazed at how easily they could cheer each other up in such stressful situations but it distracted them. "Temari!"

Just like the laughter, gunshots littered Naruto's hearing. He jumped from the floor, pacing quickly from each side of his room in an attempt to quell his anxiousness.

"She's fine I got her! Kiba, Gaara and Sakura, you stay. Tend to Temari and hold back any of our pursers, they'll be sure to send more!"

"Understood," three voices synchronized.

Shots continued, some spaced apart and others coming in fast repetition. The volumes of the weapons being fired told Naruto who they were coming from. The loudest of them obviously being his team members and the distant booms were that of the enemy. Occasionally one would sound off nearby followed by a grunt or curse as a member of Shinto got too close for comfort.

"There's a shit load of them around this bend, he has to be in there."

"Move forward."

So focused in what was going on miles away from him, Naruto barely registered it. It was his trained senses and overly paranoid state that stole his attention away from his earpiece, narrowing his eyes in the direction of his apartment door. He moved his hand slowly and cautiously, turning the volume down and taking light, quick steps towards his bed. His hand slipped under the pillow easily, making contact with hard metal and he grasped in instantly. Naruto adjusted it accordingly before he pulled his hand back out from the pillow, armed.

The sounds from a far away fight were quieter now, but they still threw him off as he tried to make out any nearby activity in his otherwise quiet home. He tried not to let it distract him as he ducked his head around the hallway's corner, squinting his eyes to adapt to darkness. Light pooled out from behind him, sending a beam halfway towards the living room. Naruto realized his mistake one second too late when he saw his shadow interrupt the bright flow of light along his carpet, barely dodging the hit that came towards his face from his right side, a place he hadn't even thought too look; a dead end with only a few feet of space but an infinite amount of pitch black darkness and the perfect hiding place.

He threw himself down, feeling the powerful hit bypass his head and skim the tips of his hair as he bent down. Kicking out swiftly, Naruto's foot slammed the door shut, trapping a silver gun, very similar to his own. It ripped free from its trap, allowing the door to close quickly while Naruto locked it and regained his senses, diving for his own gun that had fallen just out of reach. One shot, perfected and loud, was all took for the lock to blow loose, leaving a quarter-sized hole in its wake.

Naruto remained in his place, back on the ground with his weapon pointed towards the door. Making the effort to stand would only agitate his opponent and unintentionally divert his complete focus on avoiding any injuries or death. The door moved at a slow and agonizing pace, teasing Naruto with inevitable reveal of his enemy.

He almost dropped his gun again; lips parting and eyes widening in shock. Naruto let the gun go slack in his previously tight grip, "Itachi." The door opened completely and he wished it hadn't.

Naruto wished that Sasuke had never been found out. He wished that Itachi hadn't tried to play hero and ended up in his care. He wished the last few weeks of his life had never happened and that the man standing in front of him, holding a gun pointed down at his face, hadn't become so important that Naruto could never imagine shooting him.

The question burned his lips horribly and they trembled in an effort to speak up. "All along?" he wondered out loud. The moments, the days, the kisses, the touches…his emotions had seemed so real, but Itachi never failed at anything, so Naruto couldn't really put it past him.

The strained look of indecision that crossed Itachi's face made Naruto's body flinch in shame for even considering the possibility. It made his own actions during their time together seem less meaningful even to himself, let alone how it would make Itachi feel.

Itachi stayed quiet, his lips dipping down into a frown so deep it aged his face. Naruto didn't like the way Itachi looked torn and resigned at the same time. Even with a gun pointed at his head, and an obviously distressed wielder prepared to pull the trigger, Naruto couldn't care less about himself. He wasn't worried about his own well-being as his hands lowered, leaving him open for attack and less threatening all the same.

The screaming of his name attempted to tug him back to the earpiece that was just a few notches from silent, but Naruto ignored it in favor of being attentive to Itachi.

"Itachi…"

"I have to. I'm sorry Naruto, I never wanted this to happen, but they have Sasuke. It's unavoidable."

"We can help you, Itachi."

"No, you can't. This is the only way. I hope you can forgive me," Itachi choked out and Naruto could see the desperation written clearly on his face.

He sighed, gazing into Itachi's resolve and finding himself unable to argue with it. He raised his hands in a sign of surrender, rolling to his side and raising himself up to eye-level with Itachi. The gun followed Naruto's every movement, steady and straight despite the changing emotions playing out in front of him. "Do it."

Itachi's eyes widened, his brows furrowed in suspicion.

"Do it for Sasuke, alright?"

Voices cried out in protest, unaware of what was going on. Naruto smiled, eyes closing as he accepted his fate. He missed the trembling of Itachi's hand, but he heard the clattering of his finger against the trigger. He covered Itachi's hands with his own, wrapping them under the warmth of his skin. Itachi's skin was cold and sweaty. The trembling stilled beneath his comforting hold until he repositioned them a bit higher, letting the gun's point rest against his forehead.

The ringing in his ears panned in and out. Naruto tried his best to fight off the fear that, cold as ice, was trying to take over.

"Naruto we've got him, we've got Sasuke!" Kiba spoke loudly, gasping in his efforts to make Naruto notice they'd succeeded in their mission. It wasn't the volume, but his slow, deliberate words that finally caught Naruto's attention. He inwardly smiled, relieved beyond belief but held his ground and remained silent, unwilling to back down.

In a perfect world, Naruto's parents would be alive. He'd be in college or starting an internship, on his way to creating a successful life, free of so much violence and bloodshed. Sasuke would openly be by his side, like a best friend should without fear of horrible consequences.

In a perfect world, Itachi's hand wouldn't be wrapped around a dangerous piece of metal that was meant to take his life. But, instead, it would be wound tightly in his own. fingers clasped firmly and wishing the moment would never end. Naruto opened his eyes just in time to watch the gun drop, the carpet absorbing most of its solid weight. It wasn't until the threat of death had finally left that he realized _how _close Itachi had been to taking his life; how easily Naruto would have ceased to exist.

Itachi trapped his head between two strong hands but cradled it softly like he thought Naruto would break.

"Naruto…"

The contradicting feelings made his head swim and he didn't want the words Itachi was going to speak, he wanted to _show _him. That this changed nothing and that he understood- that in the end, Itachi had chosen not to kill him, a fact Naruto could never easily forget. He inched forward quickly, silencing whatever Itachi had been ready to say.

Itachi was tense and unsure while Naruto was desperate and unrelenting. Assuming he knew the cause of Itachi's distress, Naruto whispered carefully against his lips, "Sasuke's safe."

The sign of reprieve left Itachi in a gust of breath, fanning it over Naruto's face, and unintentionally causing a hunger in Naruto like no other. No matter how close he pulled them together, or how hard, how soft he kissed, the hunger only grew.

He vaguely registered the strangled noise Itachi made in the back of his throat as Naruto continued with his attempts to tame the fire burning them both alive, this time drawing out an equally eager reaction as Itachi mapped ever part of his mouth before moving onto his body.

The world was far from perfect.

With every fall, getting up only became that much harder. But, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have someone there to help him up.

.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

.

Kiba sat squatted in front of Sasuke, his face dropped in shock and disgust. Sasuke observed him offhandedly, letting a small smirk slip onto his face,

"Turn if _off_," Gaara commanded, ripping the small piece from Kiba's ear.

Kiba cried out in pain. "You think I wanted to hear that?"

Sasuke processed the information with resignation, slightly surprised, but not completely against the idea. He disregarded Kiba's shouts of distress, tilting his head to the side as he tried to imagine Itachi kissing anyone.

"I didn't think you had it in you Naruto," he spoke to himself. Really, when he thought about it, the possibility of Naruto and Itachi falling for each other didn't seem so strange. If anyone was ideal for his normally stoic brother, Sasuke would say it was Naruto.

He shook his head to clear his line of thoughts, rounding on Kiba. "Hey dumbass!"

Kiba looked too troubled to recognize that he was being insulted. He looked up with wide, disturbed eyes.

"Stop whining and untie me," Sasuke spoke, his voice held no sympathy for the obviously traumatized person in front of him.

Kiba growled as he became more aware of Sasuke's degrading tone. "Untie yourself!"

"That's impossible moron, or I already would have."

"I ain't a moron."

Sasuke smirked again, raising an eyebrow. "Ain't?"

Kiba's blush only caused Sasuke's amusement to grow, watching the red spread out over Kiba's face.

"I can't help it! It happens when I'm angry."

"What becoming even more of a moron?"

Kakashi interjected swiftly with the color of Kiba's face turning almost purple. He placed a restraining hand on Kiba's shoulder and Sasuke leaned away, afraid his head was about to explode.

"I think you'll fit in just fine."

.

-.-.-.-.-.-.

.

_A/N:_ Thanks so much for reading. Review are loved as are all of my readers!


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